Scholarships

Calling all students! The Ella T. Grasso Leadership in Action grant funds young women enrolled full-time in CT colleges & universities who make a difference in their communities. Undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to apply – the application is due October 1, 2013. Please read below for more information directly from the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame website. For more information, please visit http://www.cwhf.org/educational-resources/ella-grasso-leadership-grant .

Ella T. Grasso Leadership in Action Grant Program

In 2011, the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame launched the Ella T. Grasso Leadership in Action Grant Program, designed to honor the late Governor Ella Tambussi Grasso and her lifetime of public service and civic engagement. Believing that there is no better way to learn leadership skills than by developing and implementing a project plan and also that young people have the potential to find creative new ways to address community issues and problems, we strive to encourage and applaud their ingenuity. Our goal is to provide opportunities for college students to have real-world leadership-in-training experiences that foster real social change. Grant recipients will design and implement a community action project from start to finish. A faculty advisor/sponsor’s involvement is required, but it is the student who will develop the specifics of the project, outline goals and objectives for its outcomes, put together a plan for its implementation, create budgets and timelines, follow through with the project’s implementation, and report on successes, failures, and the true impact of the project on the community.

Grant Details

Grant(s) will be awarded each fall to young women enrolled at Connecticut colleges or universities to fund or partially fund community action or public service projects. The project must be completed within one year following the grant award. Deadline for submission of applications: October 1.

Eligibility

Young women entering their junior or senior year at a Connecticut college or university are eligible to apply. Second-year students enrolled at two-year community colleges are also eligible. Students enrolled in a graduate program are also eligible to apply. Applicants intending to carry out a community action project in Connecticut during the grant period are eligible to apply for the grant. Applicants are eligible regardless of their primary area of study.

What kinds of projects are eligible?

Any community action, community service, or community outreach project is eligible for consideration. Possible examples include educational programs in the community or on the campus; programs affiliated with a community service/non-profit organization (e.g. women’s shelter, crisis pregnancy center, etc.); literacy projects; summer projects with elementary/middle/high school age students, etc.; public service projects raising awareness for political issues; field studies (for academic credit or otherwise) focusing on an issue affecting the community. Preference will be given to projects focusing on serving women or raising awareness of women’s issues.

The six Core Pathways represent different ways in which you can give shape and trajectory to your experiences at Fairfield, both in and out of the classroom. Through reflecting on the Pathways in a way that incorporates your own interests, passions and academic goals, you will be working to discover your way and deepen your experience through your four years at Fairfield University.

In your E-portfolio entry, present through words, pictures, videos, assignments or projects — or other artifacts and mementos from your year thus far — how the variety of experiences you’ve had both in and out of the classroom have helped you to understand that one of the six Pathways may represent a fruitful, rewarding thematic guide for appreciating your progress so far at Fairfield, and for planning your next couple of years here.

The “Global Citizenship” core is about recognizing and respecting the identities and dignities of all people as well as the planet we all live on. This is a perfect fit for WGSS!

This grant opportunity is open to young women entering their junior or senior year at a Connecticut college or university or in their second year of study at a 2-year community college. The grant program is designed to celebrate Governor Grasso’s lifetime of civic engagement and public service and to give young women real-world leadership-in-training experiences that help foster social change.

In 2012, the CWHF plans to award one $2,500 grant at the 19th Annual Induction Ceremony & Celebration on October 18. Eligible projects must be completed during the 2013 calendar year. This program is made possibly through generous funding from The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.

Visit our website for additional details and the 2012 application form. Applications must be received by July 15, 2012 for consideration.